Chronic Constipation Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

What is chronic constipation?

Chronic constipation is characterized as difficulty passing stools or irregular bowel movement that continues for some weeks or even longer. Moreover, constipation is defined as having less than three bowel movements per week.

Occasional constipation is far more common than chronic constipation. Few individuals have chronic constipation which, unlike the occasional constipation can greatly interfere with your ability to perform daily tasks. It can also cause severe damage to have regular bowel movement plus other symptoms. Its treatment merely depends on its underlying cause.

What are the risk factors of chronic constipation?

Certain factors that tend to increase the risk include:
• If you are a woman.
• An older adult.
• Being dehydrated.
• Consuming a low fiber diet.
• Getting no or little physical activity.
• Taking particular medications such as narcotics or sedatives etc.

How is chronic constipation diagnosed?

How is chronic constipation treated?

The treatment normally starts with lifestyle and diet changes. In case such changes do not tend to help, then the doctor can suggest medications, or even surgery!

• Lifestyle and diet changes:

The doctor can suggest you few changes in your lifestyle or diet in order to relieve constipation:
1. Consume a diet enriched with fiber.
2. Regularly exercise.
3. Never ignore the bowel movement urge.